A Very Merry Magic Kingdom

We often have guests ask "Are the holiday parties at Walt Disney World worth it?" Like so many other things at Disney, it really depends on your family's likes, needs and budget. Traditionally, the holiday parties are Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP). During the pandemic, these two parties were modified to be After Hours parties but this year, they have returned to their original time frame and glory.

​These parties are considered special events and have their own separate ticket cost. They also have their own capacity limits. They take place AFTER the park closes and have a limited number of guests allowed. In these cases, Magic Kingdom generally closes at 6pm and the party officially starts at 7pm and goes till about midnight. Some dates have been known to sell-out, particularly Halloween night for MNSSHP and dates close to Thanksgiving and Christmas for MVMCP. Even though we went when the event was considered an After Hours party, there are still many similarities. In general, I believe these parties are a must if they fall within budget and your kids are old enough to partake of the later hours. 

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What to Expect at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

One of the most magical things you can expect is SNOW. Yes, Disney makes it SNOW at Magic Kingdom during MVMCP. They do it several times throughout the event and when it sticks, it starts to look like REAL snow. 

Another thing to remember is that this is a PARTY! There will be specialty shows and parades, including a parade down Main St. with Santa! There are special holiday themed fireworks as well as stage shows in front of the castle with music and your favorite characters. There's also a dance party in Tomorrowland.
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While we were there they also had free Cocoa & Cookies around the park.

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The decor and photo opportunities are pretty amazing during these holiday parties:

But Wait... there's More...

As if all the reasons above weren't enough to make you want to go, here are some other cool things to know about these parties. 

• Limited Tickets - Each event has the capacity to sell out because only a limited number of tickets are sold for each date. This keeps the crowds lower during these special events.
• Special Merchandise & Food - Each event has special themed food and drink you can only enjoy during the party hours. They also often sell party-specific souvenirs like shirts with the party design and date.
• Low Wait Times - At each special party event we went to, the ride wait times were drastically shorter than during the day because of the party capacity limits.

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But, is it WORTH it?

The cost of party tickets can be a splurge. They tend to range from $129 - $199 per person depending on the holiday party and date. I think this is where your family needs and budget come in. The most common way I've seen to "get the most" out of these parties to work your itinerary so that you arrive and head into the party or go to a different park in the morning (like Animal Kingdom) and then head to Magic Kingdom for the party.

During these events, the party doesn't start till 7pm; however, you are allowed to enter as early as 4pm. From 4pm to 6pm, the park will be, for intensive purposes, "normal". The park then closes at 6pm and anyone who doesn't have a party wrist band is asked to leave. As soon as 7pm rolls around, the party is ON! Music and lights and all the fun begins. What this means is that if you are flying or driving in and arriving in early afternoon, you don't need a regular park ticket to enjoy Magic Kingdom you can use your party ticket to enter as early as 4pm and you can stay till Midnight. So, in this way, it's like getting an extra day of tickets that are themed to a cool event.

Another thing we've helped clients plan is if the party falls during the middle of their itinerary, they sometimes choose to do it on a "rest day" where they relax and head into the park at 4pm and do not use a park ticket that day at all, OR, they visit a park that is NOT Magic Kingdom for the morning and then "hop" over to Magic Kingdom for the party at 4pm. Most commonly, I see this with an Animal Kingdom morning, rest after a late lunch, then head back to resort to change for the holiday party at 4pm. There's no rush to show up till 7pm when it starts, so you can take as much time as you like before hand or show up right at 4pm to be let in.

Tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party go on sale next week! If you want us to grab some for your vacation, let us know!

Remember, when its time to book your next Disney adventure, its Mouse O'Clock!